The Guan'e Gou Scenic Area is situated in the suburbs of Dangchang County, Longnan City, Gansu Province. It is a National Forest Park, National Geopark, and a 5A-level National Tourist Attraction. The entire scenic area comprises three core zones: Guanzhu Gorge, E'man Gorge, and Leigu Mountain, covering a total area of 66 square kilometers with a forest coverage rate of 75.1%. The area features unique mountain landscapes, beautiful water scenery, dense forests, and secluded valleys, blending the grandeur of northern China with the elegance of southern China. It boasts over 20 lakes of varying sizes, shapes, and colors, more than 20 waterfalls, as well as dense primeval forests, alpine meadows, and perennial snow-capped mountains, earning it the reputation of "Penglai on Earth, Jiuzhaigou of Longnan."
Historical Culture
In 424 AD (the first year of the Yongjia period in the Western Jin Dynasty), Liang Qin, a Qiang chieftain, established the ancient Dangchang Kingdom. The Guan'e Gou Scenic Area focuses on "Dangqiang Culture" as its tourism theme. Luren Ancient Village serves as an important heritage site for Bon culture, housing over 20 volumes of ancient Tibetan Bon scriptures from the late Tang Dynasty and preserving the 300-year-old Bon monastery, Luren Temple. It is currently applying for the designation of "Chinese Historical and Cultural Village."
The ancient Qiang people practiced Bon religion and revered the Phoenix Mountain God. Leigu Mountain, at an altitude of 4,153 meters, is the highest peak in Longnan and a sacred site for praying to the Phoenix Mountain God. The Dangqiang Nuo Dance, originating from the religious rituals of the ancient Qiang people in Dangchang, has a millennium-long history. It was listed in the second batch of Gansu Province's Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2008 and is pending national-level intangible cultural heritage status. Xinping Village, a well-preserved Qiang folk village in Dangchang, is applying for the title of "Chinese Traditional Village."
Main Attractions
Leigu Mountain
Leigu Mountain is one of the three main tourist areas in Guan'e Gou and the most sacred mountain in Longnan, with its main peak reaching 4,145 meters above sea level. Three sides of the summit are covered in perennial snow, with alpine meadows below and thousands of mu of alpine rhododendron forests growing on the meadows. The mountain experiences variable weather, while its lower regions are densely forested with primeval woods and diverse rare flora and fauna.
Earth Book Gorge
Due to crustal movements, shale here has been twisted into various deformed rock formations, some resembling open and overlapping books, others like swirling clouds or flowing water. The most distinctive feature is the stacks of "open books," giving the gorge its name, "Earth Book Gorge."
Xiunu Peak (Beautiful Maiden Peak)
Xiunu Peak, also known as Duxiu Peak (Solitary Beauty Peak), is surrounded by lower mountains that seem to gather around it in reverence. The dark-colored mountain body resembles a giant screen carved by a knife, with steep, vertical cliffs. Geologically, it is a "flysch" and a series of step-like normal fault systems formed by unique geological processes. Legend has it that after the death of Princess E'man, her spirit transformed into Duxiu Peak, gazing eternally at Leigu Mountain in the distance—the mountain said to be the incarnation of Prince Guanzhu.
Zedang Tso
"Zedang" means "love" in Tibetan, so Zedang Lake is also known as Love Lake. At an altitude of 2,895 meters, it is nestled in the valleys of Leigu Mountain. Legend has it that Guanzhu transformed into Leigu Mountain to protect Zedang Lake—the final tear of Princess E'man—keeping it from drying up.
Guane Heavenly Waterfall
It is the most spectacular landmark landscape of Guane Valley Scenic Area and also the most famous internet-famous check-in spot in Guanzhu Valley, with a drop of about 90 meters.
Eman Lake
It is the first lake in Eman Valley Scenic Area, named after Princess Eman. The islet in the lake is called Tongxin Island (Concentric Island), and the bridge connecting the islet is named Lianxin Bridge (Heart-to-Heart Bridge).
Yinping Lake
It is formed by connecting two lakes, so it is also called Lover's Lake by local people. Couples often come here to take wedding photos.
Jinyang Lake
It is the second largest lake in Eman Valley. On the north bank of the lake lies Jinyang Village, which is said to be the former residence of Princess Eman, hence the name of the lake. Today, more than 50 households of the Mujia Tibetan ethnic group live in Jinyang Village.
Panlong Gorge
Panlong Gorge is over 100 meters long, with the narrowest part only about 20 meters wide, and it is generally in a wavy zigzag shape. The rock walls on both sides of the gorge are about 100 meters high.
Five Waterfalls Gorge
Located between Panlong Gorge and Jiudie Waterfall, about 1,000 meters away from Panlong Gorge, the gorge is 1,800 meters long, with the widest part over 80 meters and the narrowest part about 56 meters. It is named Five Waterfalls Gorge because there are five waterfalls in the gorge, including "Pearl Waterfall", "Water Curtain Waterfall" and "Double Rainbows Resting on the Waves".
Jiudie Waterfall
After the waterfall water drops several zhang (an ancient Chinese unit of length), it is blown up by the mountain wind in the valley, instantly turning into wisps of smoke and clouds, as light as gauze and as thin as mist. Changing endlessly in the wind, it is both elegant and free, as well as overlapping and lingering repeatedly, just like layers of nested silver ribbons, hence the name "Jiudie Waterfall (Nine-fold Waterfall)".
9D Glass Bridge
Located at the Caopingzi Tourist Service Center in Eman Valley, the bridge is 200 meters long, about 2.6 meters wide and about 120 meters above the ground. The bridge deck is made of Magic-Glass technology glass, integrating space, mountains and rivers, environment, aerodynamics, sound, light and electricity.
Itinerary
Day 1: Visit Guanzhu Gorge. Take the sightseeing bus from the main entrance to Tongtianmen Service Area, then hike from Tongtianmen to Guane Tianpu (Heavenly Waterfall), a 4.3-kilometer route taking about 3.5 hours. Day 2: Explore E'man Gorge. Take the sightseeing bus to Shibaxianghui (Eighteen Encounters), then hike from Shibaxianghui to Tianchi (Heavenly Lake), a 4-kilometer route taking about 4.5 hours. For those with extra time and energy, the foot of Leigu Mountain offers stunning natural views, but mountain crossing is prohibited due to ongoing cable car construction.
Tour Tips
- Allocate two days: Guanzhu Gorge on Day 1, E'man Gorge on Day 2, for a relaxed exploration.
- Pack a jacket for large temperature variations, even in summer.
- Wear comfortable walking shoes for extended hikes.
- Bring snacks and water, but dispose of waste properly to keep the area clean.
Notes
- Respect scenic area rules; do not damage vegetation or facilities.
- Stay safe near water bodies; avoid dangerous areas to prevent slips and falls.
- Seek shelter immediately during bad weather (e.g., heavy rain, strong winds).
- Observe wild animals from a distance; do not feed or disturb them.
Transportation
- Public Transport: From Hadapu Railway Station, take a bus to Dangchang County Bus Station (10 RMB/person), then transfer to buses bound for Guanzhu Gorge (2 RMB/person) or E'man Gorge (6 RMB/person).
- Self-Driving: Drive along National Highway 212 from Longnan City. The parking lot offers free parking for the first 30 minutes, then charges 5 RMB initially, increasing by 1 RMB per hour up to 10 RMB maximum within 24 hours. Fees reset after 24 hours.
Opening Hours
Open daily from 8:30 to 17:30; ticket sales and entry close at 16:30.
Admission
The admission ticket is 150 RMB per person (including sightseeing bus and insurance).
You can search for the official WeChat public account "官鹅沟景区" on WeChat to get the latest updates or purchase tickets online.
Online Booking
Click here to jump to the Trip.com ticketing platform for ticket purchase.